For the incoming class of freshman, if they have not already reported to school for summer sessions, they will be there within a week or two. In that time they will get acclimated with the rigors of being a student and being to work out with their new teammates. So if you’ve been busy getting your freshman ready for school…here is what you missed in the past week.

What we’ve been working on:

We once again went out and got you another quality guest for the podcast. ESPN’s Bruce Feldman joined us last week to talk SEC and Pac 10 football. The podcast is pretty USC heavy, but when you are annually one of the best teams in the country, who has won 7 straight Pac Ten titles, and have one of the hottest starting quarterback battles going on…well you are going to hear about it. For you SEC fans, Bruce has some interesting thoughts on the SEC West, which should be a fun race to watch this year.

Just so you don’t think we are going to rest on our past accomplishments, Adam and I have another great guest lined up for a podcast which will be ready for your listening pleasure tomorrow morning. We feel bad that we have neglected the Big XII, so tomorrow you will hear Adam and I, along with The Wiz from The Wiz of Odds, discuss the Big XII. On paper it looks as if both the North and South could go down to the wire again when deciding who will play in the Big XII Championship game. Also, we’ll pick his brain about some National News.

Adam has continued to countdown his list of Top 50 Best Non-BCS Players. In his latest installment, Bryan Anderson, a wide receiver from Central Michigan is his choice at #34. Something tells me that Anderson will have a pretty big effect on another player that has yet to be named on this list.

Navy only returns 23% of last year’s offensive yards with potentially NFL bound players Shun White and Eric Kettani gone. Adam sits down and talks with Bobby Doyle about the endless barrage of questions he and the other Navy slotbacks are getting on how they are going to replace 77% of last year’s offense which has now graduated.

For the second year in a row the Big East Conference looks to be wide open. A lot of experts think it is going to come down between Pittsburgh and Rutgers, but neither are very solid under center. Brian talks about which players have the leg up to win the quarterback battles at both schools.

What we’ve been reading:

On a sad note, yesterday was the 3 year anniversary of Randy Walkers passing. Over at Lake The Post they are asking for a moment of silence to remember his passing.

He will go down in history for the murder that he did did not commit, and will be forever known as Nordberg in the Naked Gun movies; but before all of that he was a Heisman Trophy winner. Prolate Spheroid rehashes OJ’s career at USC.

Bruce Feldman picks the top 10 toughest non-conference schedule. A few teams that I mentioned made the list. But one team you won’t find on that list, who is Phil Steele’s #1 surprise team, the Penn State Nittany Lions.

Adam has talked about reviving a countdown he started last year where he picked the Top 10 potential upsets of a FCS team over a FBS team. Double T Nation has an early preview of the Red Raiders game against the North Dakota State Fighting Sioux. I am fairly certain this game will not make Adam’s list.

The Georgia Bulldogs suffered a heartbreaking and somewhat surprising upset loss to their rival Georgia Tech last year. Paul Westerdawg of the Georgia Sports Blog gives his thoughts on how to defend Tech’s option.

The Quad continues their countdown from 120 to 1. Yesterday they previewed the Navy Midshipmen at number 64.

Annually one of the best offensive line units in the country resides in the state of Oklahoma. The Crimson and Cream Machine previews this year’s crop of linemen for the Sooners.

NCAA Football 2010 comes out for video game consoles on July 14th. Over the Pylon has a sneak peak of Ball State’s Scheumann Stadium and Kentucky’s Commonwealth Stadium.

When Coach Wannstedt first arrived at Pitt, he was pulling in one good recruiting class after another, but after only going to one bowl game in his tenure, he finds himself still chasing a 82 year old man who is stealing recruits out of his own back yard. Recently, Wannstedt and the Panthers got a commitment from TJ Clemmings, a defensive tackle from New Jersey. But according to Zags Blog and Clemmings he did not commit.

Finally, I leave you with a sign of the Apocalypse. Evan Berry the younger brother of Tennessee safety Eric Berry has verbally committed to the Vols. Did I mention that Evan was 13 years old?

#37: DE Albert McClellan, Marshall

The Verdict: At 6-foot-2, 252-pounds, Marshall defensive end Albert McClellan may just be one of the best defenders in Conference-USA. Named to the All-Conference freshmen team during his rookie season in 2005, McClellan was a one man-wrecking crew for the Thundering Herd in 2006 en route to earning Conference-USA Defensive Player of the Year honors. His 19 tackles for a loss and 11.5 sacks led the conference that year, and coming into the 2007 season it looked as though the athletic junior might become one of the hottest prospects to ever come out of Huntington. A pre-season knee injury derailed those prospects, although McClellan returned last season to record 58 stops and 2.5 sacks despite not being fully recovered. A ‘tweener prospect with elite initial quickness off the line, McClellan commands the respect of offensive linemen whenever he steps out on the field, making him one of the best defenders in any non-BCS conference.

Tomorrow’s Player:We’re taking the day off tomorrow so you can listen to our totally awesome podcast.

Past Players: [#50: Navy LB Ross Pospisil] [#49: Fresno State RB Ryan Mathews] [#48: Wyoming DT John Fletcher] [#47: BSU WR Briggs Orsbon] [#46: EMU QB Andy Schmitt] [#45: Marshall TE Cody Slate] [#44: LA Tech WR/KR Philip Livas] [#43: CSU Gaurd Shelly Smith] [#42: Wyoming FS Chris Prosinski] [#41: SMU receiver Emmanual Sanders] [#40: UTEP QB Trevor Vittatoe] [#39: CMU DE/DT Frank Zombo] [#38: Nevada RB Vai Tuau]

#40: QB Trevor Vittatoe, UTEP

The Verdict: Put Vittatoe in any other conference in the country and he would have been a first or second team All-Conference selection at some point over the past two seasons. Unfortunately for Vittatoe, he plays a conference in which the race to top 5000 yards passing often becomes the determining factor when picking all star teams. After redshirting in Mike Price’s offense and earning Scout Team MVP honors during 2006, Vittatoe exploded onto the scene in 2007 and threw for over 3000 yards with an impressive 25-7 touchdown to interception ratio. Last year he came back and although he only hit 59% of his passes, he threw for over 3000 yards again with a 33-9 ratio. Vittatoe was plagued at times in 2008 by inconsistent wide receiver play (he had three tipped balls for interceptions in the season opener against Buffalo) and a late-season ankle injury, but his combination of arm strength and field vision make him one of the country’s most overlooked quarterbacks headed into 2008. A passer built in the pure-pocket mold, Vittatoe has especially intriguing next-level potential because of his field presence and arm strength, which may be the best of any non-BCS conference quarterback in the country.

Past Players: [#50: Navy LB Ross Pospisil] [#49: Fresno State RB Ryan Mathews] [#48: Wyoming DT John Fletcher] [#47: BSU WR Briggs Orsbon] [#46: EMU QB Andy Schmitt] [#45: Marshall TE Cody Slate] [#44: LA Tech WR/KR Philip Livas] [#43: CSU Gaurd Shelly Smith] [#42: Wyoming FS Chris Prosinski] [#41: SMU receiver Emmanual Sanders]

#41: WR Emmanuel Sanders, SMU

The Verdict: It can be tough to gauge the physical talent of a C-USA receiver as the offenses in the conference thrive off of spreading teams out and throwing the ball to what amounts to being a ridiculous amount of the time. Still, to overlook Emmanuel Sanders as just a “system player” is to overlook one of the best athletes that the conference has seen in recent years. Not only has SMU headman June Jones compared Sanders to Jerry Rice, but the second year head coach has made no secret about using his star wideout on defense in 2009, hoping to give his secondary a boost of athleticism by installing the 5-foot-11 Sanders at cornerback this past spring. A First Team All-Conference selection a season ago despite being suspended during the final two games of the season, Sanders combines outstanding body control with great field vision, making him one of C-USA’s most dangerous playmakers.

Past Players: [#50: Navy LB Ross Pospisil] [#49: Fresno State RB Ryan Mathews] [#48: Wyoming DT John Fletcher] [#47: BSU WR Briggs Orsbon] [#46: EMU QB Andy Schmitt] [#45: Marshall TE Cody Slate] [#44: LA Tech WR/KR Philip Livas] [#43: CSU Gaurd Shelly Smith] [#42: Wyoming FS Chris Prosinski]

The countdown rolls on with our first tight end sighting, and first player to be featured from C-USA.

#45: TE Cody Slate, Marshall

The Verdict: With four straight losing seasons, Marshall University hasn’t exactly been drawing national media attention as of late (well, that is unless you factor in a Matthew McConaughey appearance) but in Cody Slate the Thundering Heard have one of the most consistent and reliable tight ends in the country. Slate is one of those players who has put up solid numbers for seemingly forever (three straight seasons with 500+ receiving yards) but never quite makes it on the ’short list’ of the country’s most talked about tight ends. What separates Slate from other tight ends in the non-BCS conferences is his ability to separate in the downfield passing game. While he’s a solid possession receiver, Slate has above average speed for his 6-foot-4, 220-pound frame, and even toted an impressive 15.9 yard per catch average during his freshmen season. A particularly effective red zone target, Slate should not only top 200 career catches in 2009, but he should put himself in a position to hear his name called on draft day.

Past Players: [#50: Navy LB Ross Pospisil] [#49: Fresno State RB Ryan Mathews] [#48: Wyoming DT John Fletcher] [#47: BSU WR Briggs Orsbon] [#46: EMU QB Andy Schmitt]

Memphis 6-6 (4-4), 2nd Conference USA East
vs

South Florida 7-5 (2-5), 6th Big East

Saturday December 20, 2008 4:30 pm EST ESPN2

The South Florida Bulls were my pick to win the Big East this year. And it looked like a good pick as they started the year 5-0 with a win over Kansas. But they went 2-5 in their last 7 games and their offense went from dangerous to impotent. The Bulls have to be one of the more disappointing teams in 2008.

Matt Grothe led the Bulls in both passing and rushing for the 3rd straight year, but his touchdown to interception ratio has not improved as he had 15 touchdowns to 14 interceptions. Defensive end George Selvie is someone the Tigers will have to keep two men on if they want to pass the ball. His production has gone down dramatically from last year (14.5 sacks to 5.5 sacks), but he is still a force to be reckon with.

Memphis is one of the Nation’s best rushing teams which will be tough going up against a South Florida defense that only gives up 97 ypg on the ground. The Tigers are led by Curtis Steele’s 1175 yards on the ground and 7 touchdowns. Steele’s 5.7 yards per carry makes it easier for Memphis to move the sticks. Overall, Memphis has a balanced attack but a bulk of their big statical games came against lesser opponents such as Nicholls State and Arkansas State.

If you look at one of South Florida’s big win, they were able to temper Connecticut who has one of the best rushers in the country. This should be a tough one for Memphis, and a good end of the season win for the Bulls to salvage a less than stellar season.

Tale of the Tape

Memphis
Offense - 432 ypg, 226 ypg passing, 206 ypg rushing
Defense - 341 ypg, 195 ypg passing, 146 ypg rushing
Quality Wins versus Bowl Teams - Southern Mississippi

South Florida
Offense - 397 ypg, 237 ypg passing, 160 ypg rushing
Defense - 292 ypg, 194 ypg passing, 97 ypg rushing
Quality Wins versus Bowl Teams - Kansas, North Carolina State, and Connecticut

Prediction: South Florida 30 Memphis 17

Hey, this is Eric from the blog Saturday Sound Offs.  I’m glad to have joined the crew over here at In the Bleachers!

Here, we have, at least what I consider to be, the ten most underrated non-conference games of the 2008 season.  So, yeah, most on the list will consist of non-BCS programs.  These games are listed mainly due to a mixture of the meaning of the game, how good it will actually be, and the hype surrounding it.  So let’s begin:

10.  Central Michigan @ Georgia

This is a game that could have larger implications than you might think.  First off, Central Michigan isn’t going to win.  Let’s get that out of the way.  The Chippewas, ever since Butch Jones took control of the program, have forgotten how to play defense.  But, that doesn’t mean the Chips won’t put up a fight.  This has the potential to be Dan LeFevour’s coming out party.

If you’re not familiar with LeFevour, you have obviously shied away from anything Mid-America football-related.  He’s basically, as I’ve said on my blog, a poor man’s Tim Tebow which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.  He’s only one of two quarterbacks to ever throw for 3,000 yards and rush for another 1,000 (Vine Young being the only other).  He has a chance to shine in week two against a nasty Georgia defense.

Realistically speaking, the Chippewas won’t be capable of hanging with the Bulldogs if they can get Knowshon Moreno going.  He’ll probably run through Central’s defense like a hot knife through butter and it might remind fans of that night Between the Hedges that Boise State was supposed to put up a fight.  But the reason this game is important is the fact that LeFevour hasn’t had a huge stage to show off his skills.  He’s played solid games in the MAC championships, had great games in both Motor City Bowls, almost beat Boston College, and got hammered by Michigan in 2006.  That’s about his resume on a national scale.  A competitive showing against the Bulldogs could launch his college career even further.

9.  Ball State @ Indiana

The Cardinals don’t have a rigorous schedule this year and if they can navigate it well enough, this could be a BCS team.  Don’t laugh!  The Cards are lead by budding superstar QB Nate Davis.  He doesn’t have a superfluous amount of help on the other side of the ball, but if you look at the fact that Indiana is the only BCS conference team they play this year, it’s not all that nutty to think that Ball State does have a chance.  Their defense is great at creating turnovers (fourth in the nation) and they get just about everybody back on offense.  They seriously return everybody.  If that’s not enough to get you excited, eight guys come back on a sub-par defense.

As for Indiana, the Hoosiers are in a bit of a daze after the Insight Bowl shellacking that Oklahoma State handed to them.  It was never close.  Last year was an emotional rollercoaster ride for sure, but the players handled it in a professional manner and would have made Coach Hep proud.  This year, Bill Lynch is the man and he’ll have to ward off a team as stingy as Ball State.  It will be crucial to their bowl hopes as well.

8.  Louisville @ Memphis

Why is this game important?  Well, it’s important in a sense that Steve Kragthorpe’s future may be affected by the outcome of this game.  These two former C-USA rivals will meet again at the Liberty Bowl.  The last time Louisville went to the Liberty Bowl (regular season) was 2004 when Stefan LeFlors and Danny Wimprime slugged out a 56-49 final score in which the Cardinals prevailed.

What’s worse is that Memphis should remain pretty powerful on offense.  The defense returns plenty of guys that should only get better with more experience.  If Louisville pulls off another Middle Tennessee defensive performance, that might send a signal to the administration that the team has quite on Steve Kragthorpe and I wouldn’t be shocked at all to see him fired at the end of this year.  Of course that’s any game that can happen in.  Louisville has much tougher opponents on the schedule than Memphis, but another awful defensive game against a non-BCS foe would just be another hit this program doesn’t have to take.  The only reason I choose this game as being underrated is the fact that the recipes are there for disaster.

7.  Troy @ Ohio State

Appalachian State:  Part Deux.  If Buckeye fans are worried about this game, they would be right to harbor those particular emotions.  Troy is a dangerous team.  If we point to Exhibit A, we show Troy stunning Missouri.  Exhibit B shows Troy blasting Oklahoma State.  The problem?  Well, those two games were played at Movie Gallery Stadium and this is in the Horseshoe.  Well, Troy has done fine on the road in the past against LSU, Florida, Georgia, Georgia Tech, and Florida State.

They aren’t going to win though.  Mainly because of the losses on the offensive side of the ball.  Kenny Catthouse, Gary Banks, and Omar Haugabook are all missing and that presents a problem.  The defense isn’t experienced enough to pull off an upset of this magnitude.  But I’d watch for the Trojans to really compete with the Buckeyes and make it a game.

6.  SMU @ Navy

This game is interesting on so many levels.  First off, you can’t get two more diametrically opposed offenses on a football field than the Run n’ Shoot and the triple option flexbone.  It can’t be done.  And we sorta saw this with North Texas and Navy last year, but the whole June Jones thing brings another element to this ballgame.

We all saw what Jones did with Hawaii.  The Warriors couldn’t even beat the lowliest of the low opponents but the instant Jones got there, they were competitive.  He won a WAC title in his first year, one of the most stunning turnarounds in college football history.  Now, an SMU team that flat out stunk will be turning to him for guidance to the postseason and it’s a real possibility.  Navy on the other hand will be without Paul Johnson and that brings Ken Niumatalolo into the picture.  The rookie head coach will try to keep the momentum that Johnson gained during his stay going.  This game is so important to both schools and their aspirations.

5.  Florida Atlantic @ Michigan State

If there’s any moment for Howard Schnellenberger to get his biggest win with the program that he’s managed from the get-go, this is it.  Michigan State in East Lansing will be no easy task, but Rusty Smith and the Owl offense are up to it.

FAU not only should be the best team in Sun Belt history, they should be able to compete with some BCS schools.  We saw how Minnesota was defeated by Florida Atlantic and how USF was pushed to the absolute brink.  This game will be a lot tougher because it will be away from the friendly confines of Boca Raton.  Mark Dantonio preaches tough defense and that just happens to be Florida Atlantic’s forte.   Anyway, if there’s a moment for the Sun Belt to really gain some national commendation, it could come in the form of an almost brand new program knocking off a mainstay in the Big 10.  Don’t count the scrappy Owls out of it.

4.  BYU @ Washington

At least for non-BCS teams, this non-conference game could have the most impact on the entire Bowl Championship Series.  Brigham Young figures to have everything in place for a run towards the coveted BCS slot that Utah, Boise State, and Hawaii have played in before.  But Washington is no pushover.

We saw what happened when Boise State traveled to the Huskies home field.  Personally, I thought the Broncos were the better of two teams but the start they got off to threw everything else off.  BYU might be susceptible to that.  I’ve long said that there would be so many more upsets if non-BCS schools got opportunities to host, but this game does not fit that description.

Jake Locker was borderline potent at different times in the season and should come into 2008 at full strength.  I actually like Washington’s defense coming into this year.  BYU’s strength is also on that side of the ball, so those may equal each other out.  Anyway, a tough road game against a BCS conference foe could be the make-or-break game for the Cougars’ BCS designs.

3.  USF @ UCF

UCF has a tuneup game against South Carolina State to start, but the season kicks off with a bang in week two against in-state rival USF.  The Bulls have already risen to prominence in the state with Jim Leavitt creating the program into a Big East conference contender.  Central Florida on the other hand is still trying to become one of the big boys and that’s even more difficult now that Florida Atlantic is surging.

This game has a load of importance for both schools.  For USF, another win against UCF would assert their dominance in the series and a win for UCF would mean the Golden Knights are capable of taking the next step in their quest to become one of Florida’s state powers.

The only problem here is that UCF is short a QB with experience and Kevin Smith.  Smith was one of the better backs in the entire nation and he was basically George O’Leary’s offense.  Even so, they are one of the better teams in C-USA and the fact that they got drilled last year against the Bulls should only add fuel to the fire.  Hopefully, a change of scenery will allow for a more competitive game.  Hey, we saw what happened to Texas, right?

2.  North Texas @ Rice

Here’s a game I’d pay the price of admission for.  I was hoping for a New Mexico State/North Texas game earlier this year when both teams had an opening on the slate, but most fans of high-octane passing attacks will settle for this.

Neither of these two teams are that great right now.  North Texas struggled to stop anybody and had the worst defense in the nation by far, I don’t care what the stats say regarding total defense.  Okay, maybe not.  Perhaps it was Rice with the worst defense in the nation.  Either way, it doesn’t matter because these omnipotent passers of potency (Chase Clement and Giovanni Vizza/Riley Dodge) should have their way with two pass defenses that don’t even have a prayer.  North Texas ranked 18th in passing offense and lit up multiple Sun Belt teams.  Rice’s was actually better statistically (15th) even though the Mean Green passing game may have gotten more publicity.

Basically, if you like passing and points, this game may shatter the records.  If you thought the 74-62 scoring fest of Navy and North Texas was fun (to at least read about, tough to watch it), this game could be even better.

1.  Tulsa @ Arkansas

This game would be a lot of fun to watch, wouldn’t it?  The much-awaited return of Gus Malzahn.  After getting ousted from Arkansas after a dismal passing attack led by Mitch Mustain and/or Casey Dick, the former Razorback offensive coordinator returns to Fayetteville with his ideal offense developed at Tulsa.  The Golden Hurricane might rely on Jacob Bower without Paul Smith, but there should be no halt in progress for the Tulsa offense.

Arkansas is another story.  They’ll be without the head coach at the time, Houston Nutt.  Bobby Petrino had a much-maligned exit from the NFL when he returned, basically without saying goodbye, to the college game.  Petrino’s team doesn’t have a whole lot going for them as of right now besides the fact that Ryan Mallett is waiting in the wings.

This game could be one of the most entertaining all year and it certainly has the storylines and potential drama to back up that prognostication.  These reasons make the Tulsa/Arkansas game the most underrated non-conference game of 2008.

Be sure to check out my blog, Saturday Sound Offs-The Blog for the College Football Junkie.

Former LSU and oft-troubled quarterback Ryan “Hunk Fiji” Perrilloux has officially transferred to FCS middleweight Jacksonville State.

What This Means: While I can’t say I’ve had much sympathy for Perrilloux, I think this is a mutually beneficial situation that he’s stepping into. Considering Jacksonville State didn’t have any scholarship quarterbacks on the roster he’s clearly doing them a favor by stepping into a tough situation, while Head Coach Jack Crowe is doing him a favor by virtually guaranteeing him a starting spot. But don’t just assume Perrilloux will dominate at a lower level and play his way back into NFL prospectdom. He’s bound to be on a short leash considering he’s taking over for a quarterback who was kicked off the team, and has shown a propensity for finding trouble in the past even when he knows he’s run out of fifth chances. If nothing else, this gives us another reason to tune into the Jacksonville State-Georgia Tech matchup on August 28. Something tells me Bristol is scrambling to get involved in this one.

BYU running back Manase Tonga was ruled academically ineligible for the 2008 season, and will have to take a redshirt before reapplying to the University if he wants to play in 2009.

What This Means: Not a whole lot. Don’t get me wrong, in an offense based on role players Tonga was one of BYU’s best last year. A solid blocker and receiver out of the backfield, he ran for 305 yards and eight touchdowns for the Cougars in limited duty. But BYU is stacked in the backfield, returning both MWC Freshmen of the Year Harvey Unga (1227 yards, 13 TD) and a finally healthy Taufui Vakapuna (252 yards in ’07, 445 yards in ’06.) Unga is truly as talented as they come, while Vakapuna, when healthy, is an absolute load to bring down. When you throw in highly touted redshirt freshmen J.J. DiLuigi to the mix, BYU has one of the best backfields in the entire country even without Tonga.

The Big East reportedly was in negotiations to bring Memphis into the conference as a possible expansion team, then reportedly was not.

What It Means: It seems like just yesterday we were still writing Big (L)east and never missing an opportunity to make the constant aside about how much the new Big East sucks. That being said dumping Temple and moving to an eight team football conference hasn’t been bad at all for the Big East, and despite basically perpetual calls for adding a ninth team by fans and media members I don’t know if this is something that needs to be rushed along. I do know one thing, and that’s that Army, Navy, and Notre Dame aren’t going anywhere, so when the Big East does decide to expand, it will either have to come internally (like ‘Nova moving up from the FCS) or will have to come from Memphis or East Carolina.

ACC Athletic Directors decided to scrap possible plans for adding a ninth conference game.

What This Means: Boo-hoo. I know the folks in SEC and Pac-10 country are whining over this as usual, but being from ACC country I applaud this move. Why? Because we have great regional games here on the east coast, games that often feature matchups between the ACC and Conference-USA or the highly competitive Colonial Athletic Conference. People love to knock these “lower” matchups because of how easily they perceive the ACC slate to be, but God forbid the sport of college football be extended out of hallowed SEC conference. Personally, I’d much rather see a highly motivated CAA team try to knock off a mid-level ACC team than be subjected to seeing Clemson put up 70 on Duke.

League Commissioner John Swofford has announced that the ACC will no longer participate in the Humanitarian Bowl after 2008, a move which will terminate one reluctant ACC team’s annual pilgrimage to the Smurf Turf.

What It Means: With the approval of the Congressional Bowl this was bound to happen, as the ACC is now affiliated with nine (count them: NINE) bowl tie-ins for 2008. Considering the ACC probably won’t have nine bowl eligible teams, it makes sense to cut ties with Humanitarian Bowl, which has always been looked on as something of a punishment by fans and media members. For the record, I hate it when people knock Boise, which really is a pretty awesome city in one of the coolest regions of our country. Maybe not a cup of tea for some Miami fan in December, but hopefully my Midshipmen can jump on this in 2009 and give me a decent excuse to get out to Sun Valley for some skiing.

Mailbag, did you say Mailbag?

I like to think myself a fairly astute observer of the college football game, especially the non-BCS conferences. So, in an effort to make our slow crawl into the college football preview season a little more interesting, I’ve decided to set up a “Non-BCS Conference Mailbag” over here at ITB. Basically we can do this one of two ways. One, you send your questions, comments, concerns, or queries to guyontheright-at-gmail.com and I answer them here on the blog, OR I make up questions by people named A. Howard Rogers and post the answers on the blog. Frankly I’d rather try the first option, so let’s have at it.

DB Andrew Sendejo, Rice- A rock at 6’1, 213, Sendajo is also one of Conference USA’s best kept secrets. Incredibly active, he’s one of the most versatile defensive backs in the entire country, intercepting five passes (one returned for a touchdown) and notching up 107 tackles in 2007 as a true sophomore. Sendejo is one of the rare combinations of a guy with great range who also happens to be a ferocious hitter, and looks primed to lead what figures to be a much improved Rice Owl defense is 2008.

DE Larry English, Northern Illinois- NIU may have struggled through an injury plagued 2007 campaign, but for the second consecutive year defensive end Larry English was all but unstoppable for opposing offensive lines. The rising senior recorded 10.5 sacks, 17 tackles for loss, and recovered a fumble for a touchdown in 2007. At 6’3, 254 he figures to be a classic tweener at the next level, but for now he remains one of the most relentless defensive ends in the game. With NIU rebuilding under new head coach Jerry Kill, I look for English to lead a refocused defense in 2008.

OLB Clayton Mullins, Miami (Oh)- The reigning MAC Defensive Player of the Year, Mullins played like a man possessed in 2007 for the Red Hawks, totaling 143 tackles (69 solo, 16 tfl), four sacks, and six passes defended. At 6’2, 235 he has next level size for his position at outside linebacker, and more than enough speed and recognition ability to make plays both between the lines and on the perimeter. The leader of the MAC’s best defense, Mullins and Miami should contend for the MAC title yet again in 2008.

LB Frantz Joseph, Florida Atlantic- A big part of FAU’s unlikely turnaround in 2007, Joseph finished 28th in the country in tackles per game last year with just over 10 per contest. He also led the Sun Belt conference in tackles for loss (17) while recording two interceptions and two and a half sacks. Originally a transfer from Boston College, Joseph is a tremendous competitor with great range and instincts who should have FAU back in contention for the Sun Belt crown in 2008.

LB Adam Leonard, Hawaii- A first team all WAC selection in 2007, Leonard is not only one of the WAC’s hardest hitters, but one of its biggest defensive playmakers. Second on the team with 105 tackles last season (53 solo, 11.5 tfl) Leonard also took two interceptions back for touchdowns and broke up four passes. Not the tallest player, he nevertheless has a great feel for the game and the always underrated ability to shed blocks with ease. He’s a versatile player can play either the “mac” or “buck” linebacker positions as they’re known in Honolulu, and should be a major asset in new head coach Greg McMackin’s efforts to keep the program competitive.

DT John Fletcher, Wyoming- One of the major factors in Wyoming’s defensive dominance over the past two years, Fletcher is the 6’6, 275-lb stonewall that anchors the Cowboy defensive line. A dominating force inside with long arms and a powerful upper body, Fletcher registered an unusually high 10.5 sacks from the defensive tackle position last year, in addition to 14 tackles for a loss. His size and athleticism makes him a potential NFL sleeper down the road, but for now he remains the anchor on one of the country’s best and most underrated defensive lines.

FS Ryan Downard, Eastern Michigan- When commentators use the term “playing center field” to describe the actions of a free safety, their explaining the way rising sophomore Ryan Downard played in 2007 to a tee. Downard is one of those guys who has the uncanny ability to just make plays on the football, picking off six passes as a redshirt freshmen last year. I love his feel for the game at free safety, and he shows maturity beyond his years in reading quarterbacks. His continued progression gives perennial MAC bottom feeder Eastern Michigan a chance to be competitive in the MAC next season.

CB Joe Burnett, Central Florida- A rising senior who originally declared for the 2008 NFL draft, Burnett instead chose to return to Central Florida for his senior season after a monster junior campaign in 2007. An aggressive corner who excels against both the pass (12 career interceptions) and the run (148 career solo stops), Burnett also doubles as one of the nation’s most explosive punt returners with three career touchdown returns. His versatility and nose for the football make him not only one of the best defenders in the conference, but also a potential Day 1 draft pick in next year’s draft.

DB Wyatt Middleton, Navy- While I’m willing to admit that this is a blatently homeristic call on my part, I truly believe Middleton is the second coming of former Navy great Josh Smith, who recorded about a bazillion tackles for the Mids between 2002-2004 and was basically a one-man wrecking crew who I swear could have made it in the NFL had he wanted to. Middleton isn’t overly flashy (at least not yet) but he does do what 95% of college defenders can’t- he tackles with proper form. In a day and age where defenders almost always leave their feet, forget to bring their arms, and most of the time get truly and disgustingly high pad level, Middleton displays proper form and good courage against much bigger players. While my esteemed colleague has often noticed his habit of being out of position in the passing game, a solid spring should pay dividends on the field in 2008.

Note: UCF cornerback Johnell Neal was to be included in this list until a recent shooting on May 10th left him injured and put his status in jeopardy for the 2008 season. Neal, who recently graduated early from UCF, picked off six passes in 2007 and broke up another ten. We wish him a speedy recovery and return to the field, whether it be on the college level or the next.

Ten non-BCS conference players who could make or break their team’s chances in 2008. Click the links to view highlight clips.

RB Harvey Unga, BYU- Big, physical, and athletic, Unga was the lead horse in a very good stable of running backs at BYU last year, and already looks primed for an even bigger 2008. Earning both Mountain West Conference Freshmen of the year and Freshmen All-American honors, Unga powered his way to 1,227 yards on the ground (5.0 avg) and an incredible 655 yards through the air in 2007 en route to BYU’s second consecutive Mountain West Title. Joined by All-MWC performers Max Hall at quarterback and Austin Collie at wide receiver, Unga has a very real shot of leading BYU to a BCS bowl game in 2008.

RB James Starks, Buffalo- Starks is an intriguing case because he might be the most talented skill player at the University at Buffalo since Drew Haddad in the late 90s. At 6’2, 210 he’s big enough to be an effective inside runner, but he has uncanny straight line speed for a guy his size in the open field. He’s a duel threat guy out of the backfield and has great ball skills, catching 41 passes in 2007 while not fumbling once in 251 carries. One of the key role players in Buffalo’s recent turnaround, Starks looks ready to lead the Bulls to a bowl eligible season in 2008.

QB/SB/PR Jarod Bryant, Navy- It’s not often that the buzz around a given team’s spring practice revolves around the backup quarterback, but in the case of the Naval Academy that’s exactly what happened this April. A multi-faceted athlete from the famed Hoover High program, backup quarterback Jarod Bryant spent last year in spot relief duty of Kaipo-Noa Keheaku-Enhada before new Head Coach Ken Niumatalolo added slotback and punt returner to his list of duties this offseason. With Vick-like quickness and feet in the open field, Bryant has the natural ability to just flat out make people miss whenever he has the ball in his hands, and will likely play a key role in Navy’s quest to make it to a sixth consecutive Bowl game.

WR Casey Fitzgerald, North Texas- A bigtime playmaker in every sense of the word, Fitzgerald thrived in his first year under Head Coach Todd Dodge, leading a resurgent Mean Green offense in reception (111), receiving yards (1322) and receiving touchdowns (12.) His 11.9 yard average doesn’t jump out on paper, but catch and runs of 99 and 69 yards sure do on tape. While he has the physical skills of speed and body control that make him an NFL prospect, it’s his recognition ability and route running which make him the dominant receiver in the Sun Belt conference. I’m expecting Dodge and North Texas to be at the top of the Sun Belt in 2008, and this guy is a big reason why.

QB Chase Clement, Rice- Clement may very well be the best duel threat quarterback in the country you’ve never heard of, and he’s got the numbers to prove it. Hitting 60% of his passes in 2007, Clement threw for 3377 yards and 29 touchdowns, while rushing for 535 yards and eight touchdowns. He doesn’t have the strongest arm in the world but at the same time he doesn’t have to, as he’s incredibly accurate and has the ability to make mid range throws with consistency. With some stability finally coming to the Rice coaching staff Clement has the ability to take the Owles back to the postseason this season.

RB Luke Lippincott, Nevada- Another physical runner, Lippincott literally ran through WAC defenses last year en route to a 1420 yard (5.3 avg) year on the ground in 2007. Well trained in Coach Chris Ault’s pistol offense, Lippincott is the perfect compliment for speedy quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who himself gave Nevada’s offense a much needed spark last year. With a wide open WAC this year I look for Nevada to use Lippincot aggressively and return to the postseason.

WR Kevin Jurovich, San Jose State- If this is your first time hearing about Jurovich then don’t worry, you’re not alone. Maybe the lone bright spot on San Jose State’s anemic offense last season, Jurovich has a chance to be one of the most prolific skill position players in the WAC next season. A very smooth route runner with good quickness and decent long speed, Jurovich went from being a backup safety in 2006 to the team’s leading receiver in 2007. With a new quarterback coming into SJSU this year it’s going to be critical for SJSU to get the ball into Jurovich’s hands as much as possible, especially if the Spartans wish to return to their 2006 season form.

TE Bear Pascoe, Fresno State- You don’t often think about possession tight ends when you talk about the one most important player on an offense, but in the case of Fresno State’s offense you might have to. The rising senior has ideal size (6’5, 265) and tremendous body control, which makes the fact that he was an option quarterback in high school all the more insane. He almost single-handedly obliterated Texas A&M’s secondary last season (7 catches, 3 TDs) and figures to be an iatrical part of Fresno State’s loaded offense in 2008.

RB Eugene Jarvis, Kent State- The leading returning rusher in the country, Jarvis ran for 1669 yards (6.0 avg) and ten touchdowns in 2007 to very little national acclaim. A scat back with tremendous vision and change of direction ability in the open field, watching Jarvis is like watching former MAC great Garrett Wolfe out of a zone running based offense. The challenge for Jarvis will be whether or not he can help get Kent State over the hump in a MAC title race in which one team’s chances seem to be as good as the next’s. If he can, then don’t be surprised to see him replicate Wolfe’s minor Heisman Run from a few years ago in 2008.

RB Ian Johnson, Boise State- After eclipsing 1700 yards rushing and 25 touchdowns in 2006 it seemed like Johnson was a viable contender for the Heisman in 2007, but a retooled Boise State offense transferred much of the load to fellow running backs Jeremy Avery and DJ Harper last season. Still, Johnson is one of the elite start-stop runners in all of college football, and surpassed the 1000 yard rushing mark last season. After a quiet year in 2007 expect Johnson and Boise State to make another run in the WAC, where the departure of Colt Brennan and June Jones at Hawaii has suddenly left the conference wide open.